Area Road Crews On Standby For Potential Wintry Mix

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Area Road Crews On Standby For Potential Wintry Mix

MADISON, Ala.(WHNT)-A wintry weather system is expected to move into parts of north Alabama during the overnight hours, with area road crews on standby in case things get messy.

The Madison Public Works department spent much of Thursday loading up trucks with a sand and gravel mix, with crews mainly focusing their preparation efforts on bridges and overpasses.

Madison Public Works spokesman Mike Gentle told WHNT News 19 that his department was ready just in case, a lesson learned after the city was taken by surprise in January during a snowfall that missed most of Madison’s neighbors. Forecasts from earlier Thursday showed the odds of a repeat occurrence as unlikely, but Gentle said road treatment plans were in place should roadways start to get slick.

“We’ll be out here checking the roads all during the night,” said Gentle, who added that an extra road crew would be ready to come in during the overnight hours if needed. “That sand-gravel mix is just in case we have icing or snow on the overpasses, that’s our main concern right now…People need to understand to still slow down when they go over overpasses or bridges, because all it [sand-gravel mix] is doing is giving you a little better traction. You just need to slow down.”

Madison Public Works said they would report any road hazards or closings as soon as possible should weather events warrant it.